**Review ~ Merlin's Children ~ Megan Joel Peterson**

Merlin's Children by Megan Joel Peterson
The Children and the Blood #3
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: I received an ecopy from the author in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms

Synopsis
The stakes of the war have never been higher.

But what will be the cost to win?

Ashe knows loss, knows sacrifice and pain. Her allies are scattered and too many lie dead. The Blood are stronger than ever and more connected than she could have imagined.

But the worst is yet to come. The war has taken so many people she loves.


Now it just might take everyone who’s left.

This is the final book in The Children and the Blood trilogy. You can read my reviews of the first two books in this trilogy by clicking their titles, The Children and the Blood, and Taliesin Ascendant.

***

Wow! What an ending to what has been such an exciting story! Ms. Peterson did an incredible job of tying up Ashe, Lily, and Cole's story with all Merlin's children.

Merlin's Children picks up the story where it ended in Taliesin Ascendant. Ashe is still trying to find a way to end the war and keep Lily safe. And she questions whether Cole is trustworthy. Cole is doing his level-best to keep Lily safe from the dangers he believes Ashe represents. And Harris begins to question his loyalties as the war between the Merlin, Taliesin, and the Blood comes to a head.

This final book in the trilogy was every bit as thrilling as the first two. I was so tense - flying through the pages to learn who would survive, who would betray whom, which characters would finally put their trust in the right people. It was nail-biting suspense. And the way in which Ms. Peterson chose to reveal the answers to all those questions was brilliant.

Whether she meant to or not, Ms. Peterson did a fine job illustrating the nature of war. In this war, as in any war, the two opposing sides had complete faith in their way being the only way to achieve peace and safety for their side. Each side was willing to sacrifice whatever was required for their side to win. And their constituents followed on blind faith. Each side also did an amazing job with propaganda against their enemies. So amazing, in fact, that it was very hard for some characters to believe otherwise despite seeing evidence to the contrary. And finally, the point that even once this war was ended, it wasn't over. Peace takes much work and dedication.

Merlin's Children was the perfect ending for this story. The strength of character Ashe and Cole exhibited was incredible. Seeing the lengths Jamison, and even Brogan, would go to in order to achieve their goals was frightening. It was relief-inducing to witness Cole, and surprisingly Harris, realize that there are two sides to every story and all the facts are needed to make an educated decision.

I enjoyed every  minute I've spent with these characters. Ms. Peterson's writing is fantastic and she kept me on the edge through every book. And the culmination of the story of Merlin and the magic left me utterly satisfied!

Megan Joel Peterson lives somewhere between the cornfields of Illinois and fantasy worlds filled with magic. She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Illinois, and has worked a little bit of everywhere over the years. Now she spends her days and nights creating new stories, and thinks writing is the best job she ever could have asked for.

Website ~ Blog ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Google Plus ~ Tumblr ~ Pinterest